A glance at the Championship table shows how Derby County's resilience paid dividends over the festive period.

The Rams collected eight points from four matches stretching over the Christmas and New Year periods.

The Rams beat Millwall 3-0 on December 23, drew 0-0 at Hull on Boxing Day, defeated Ipswich Town 2-1 at Portman Road on December 30 and drew 1-1 with Sheffield United at Pride Park Stadium on New Year's Day.

There was a tinge of disappointment following the two draws but the key is to keep the points' tally ticking over, and Derby have continued to gather points while others around them have faltered.

Cardiff City have lost their last four matches and have won just one of their last six.

Neil Warnock's team sat second and six points ahead of Derby going into the festive programme. They are now third, and two points behind the Rams.

Bristol City have lost their last two games against leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, and Lee Johnson's team has recorded one win in the last four league matches.

They held a two-point lead over Derby going into Christmas and now the Rams are two points ahead of the Robins.

Derby are now second on 49 points.

Asked about the table, manager Gary Rowett said: "You can see the pressure around you when you are up in these positions.

"I don't think we have exerted any pressure on the players at all but when you look around, Cardiff have lost four on the spin and a lot of teams are struggling to gain points consistently."

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They are unbeaten in seven, they have lost just one of 11 matches and only twice in 19.

"If you look short-term and long-term, all our results have been really good," Rowett added.

"We played really well against Aston Villa, Millwall and Ipswich. The Hull game, not so well but we were resilient and got a point. We did not play very well against Sheffield United but we were resilient and got a point.

"I don't think you can complain about that.

"Earlier in the season when we didn't play well, we got beat heavily.

Now, when we don't play well we get something out of the game."

Aston Villa have won their last two games to move up to fifth, five points behind Derby, but Villa had gone five without a win.

Leeds United are sixth on 43 points. They won four games on the spin in December but have taken one point from the last six having lost at Birmingham before being held to a goalless draw by Nottingham Forest.

Sheffield United have won just one of their last nine and are seventh on 42 points, one point ahead of Middlesbrough who have won four of their last six.